London Collection: Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2014 Relaxed Colors

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2014 Menswear Coats and sweaters

Christopher Bailey, creative officer of Burberry, gave us quite a surprise at his Burberry presentation Tuesday morning. London Menswear Fashion Week consisted of only three days worth of great innovative designers, but it wouldn't have felt enjoyable to finish one's final morning in London without such an artful collection like Burberry's. The transition from the Milan menswear calendar to London's may have played a factor in Bailey's theme, but no, it only moved the presentation to a much earlier date. Bailey knows how to influence the menswear market keenly well. The number of male celebrities, bloggers, and street stylists who have become a loyal customer to the brand fill the gap for the rest of us who want a piece of that ultra cool trenchcoat. Semi-length shirts brought a cool vibe in pleated numbers that resembled tuxedo shirts.

What was surprising (and new) here in Burberry's spring/summer 2014 menswear collection, was the route he took in his tailoring skills - relaxed and comfortably easy to combine. Burberry is better known for their sartorial trench coats, but his spring selection of cashmere colored numbers felt looser in fit. The opening look in a soft camel coat was one to add in your next's wish list - relaxed, special, and rich in color and texture. Knitted sweaters were unique themselves - cut lower in shape and design - with a pleasing palette of colors.

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2014 menswear polka dot shirts and layering

Polka dots also became a not so surprising subtler print in Burberry's runway. Bailey has done an extraordinarily job in keeping the Burberry man on top of the trend. We can still recall his first spring 2013 introduction in aluminum metallic colors that became a mega streetstyle hit, and we can't forget about his fall 2013 cheetah and heart prints that will be available soon to purchase. But because of his two successful seasons in various risky prints and colors, we were expecting another potential surprise. All the contrary, prints were perhaps too relaxed for the Burberry man, but acceptable enough to look dapper in your dotted shirt or scarf paired with a comfortable suit in a striped tie, and vibrant colored suede boat shoes. The most confidence of all was most likely Bailey's spring polka dot sunglasses, because as far as bags go, they were razor sharp light.

The strategy of Bailey's layering techniques will most likely be one to began adopting now. He took some semi-formal looks and layered them in linen tank tops finished with what appeared to be shirt jackets. Simply easy to grasp.

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2014 Menswear hoodies and sweaters

Knitted sweater and hoodies made your average one's appear so boring. The design of a navy, cashmere hoodie cardigan was a must have. A soft yellow hoodie sent a cool casual vibe to the look - just the way British man do it. Sweaters done opposite - in a rib cage collar and seamless hem - were satisfying to watch.

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2014 Menswear floral print shirts and cagoules.

Not having added a single floral print look could have made the Burberry customer upsetting. Thankfully, Bailey got the memo and added two looks - one in red and green - to his presentation. And finalizing his collection in several youthful colored cagoules - red, green, mustard, and blue - gave Bailey once again another triumph. He incorporated only one checked navy coat that could have made Prada's light blue-checked trench coat seem unappealing. 

The Resort 2014 Bestseller Collections - Sexy, Chic, Casual, Rebellious

The South is probably the most conservative of all states to savor a good dose of fashion. As you may already know, most designers have presented their newest Resort 2014 collections that will be available in most stores some time not during the next two months. Around December or next year perhaps? 

I have come to the point of analyzing several collections most women here could come to an agreement with me that the following collections are perhaps a win for their closet. Having a great knowledge for fashion here is not necessarily needed as it would for a designer (runway) collection. The main goal of a resort collection is to really, short and simple, see what pieces sell the fastest, and what pieces stay on the floor the longest. It can become quite a stressful time, since most retailers want to see profit and clothes selling and selling. Most designers have to let go of their artistic (couture) abilities and turn on their marketing skills for resort. All customers want here is easy, luxurious, no drama pieces to wear any season or occasion. Yes, it can be quite challenging for some, but as long as most of their resort collection sell out, all is fine.

Below are just a few of the resort collection, who in my opinion, think have a potential of connecting with many customers, or simply sell out pretty good. 

Vibe: Sophisticated Geometric Prints.

Prabal Gurung has got a big win in this collection. This is what most women seek in a resort collection. Something that has the designers elements (prints for Prabal) in an outfit and feels appropriate to wear for any occasion. His talent for designing incredible works of art keeps growing as the seasons pass, making him a more recognizable international designer for many. Prabal Gurung is a must have for Resort 2014. A great piece to add to your next summer wardrobe is the printed leather trench coat for those chilly and rainy days. Simply hot.

Vibe: The College Chic.

Burberry has always been one of the go to brands for the sophisticated woman. Want to know how an English lady dresses? Burberry is the answer. For Resort 2014, Christopher Bailey sort of kept the route he had gone in his recent fall collection. Playful, fetish-y, and urban-ish. Something most young girls would familiarize with. A style you could emulate from this collection is a long sleeve polo shirt with a luxuriously embroidered, black leather skirt. Now if any may not be extremely sophisticated, it totally is luxurious. It is only a matter of getting close and intimate.The college wardrobe just got better.

Vibe: SEX-Y Sailor.

Stripes never looked bright and sexy as Versace's does. Donatella Versace can never disappoint her clients. Pink, orange, lime, and aqua stripes made the original navy and white sailor stripes look so boring. Her interpretations of white sailor pants - in Medusa-head sailor buttons - definitely had that sex appeal Versace is best at doing. Her colorful micro-pleated tulle dresses were as sexy as her stripes. Take this dresses to a cocktail or party and your bet to have all eyes turned at you. This is an ideal resort collection who seeks a short, outspoken, and sexy attitude.

Vibe: Romantic Lace and Relaxed.

Lace has always been a feminine design for many woman. Some may even feel disgusted by all the covered fabric. Joseph Altuzarra was probably one of the most surprising designers for many in his resort collection. He found the perfect way to mix lace into his suits in a very relaxed manner; made for the woman who wants comfortable luxury. What was more surprising here were Altuzarra's introduction of denim. His pants were cut perfectly and his suit combo made a stunning number with his cropped lace top. If you had not seen his fall 2013 collection - outstanding body hugging sex appeal looks - you would agree his resort collection went a different route than what were used to seeing him doing. Black pants in a very slouchier version also made a good intro for the Altuzarra woman. In general, most of you would agree to be very fond of this particular resort collection compared to his actual seasonal collections that come with a slightly more bit of drama which I prefer.

Vibe: Rebellious Safari Lady.

It may sound somewhat aggressive to say this, but Mrs. Ferretti seems to have a great amount of marketing skills compared to her actual runway collections. She definitely has some good runway pieces to fall in love with, but her pre-fall and resort collections seems to be favorited the most amongst women. Her Resort 2014 collection is a great example of how talented Alberta Ferretti is in keeping everything sophisticated with a rebellious twist. It appears more youthful to say the least, but with an edge to go from streetstyle to a meeting or evening celebration. The thought she took to in a specific white skirt and jacket ensemble with zebra linings made her resort presentation even more special. I feel either a young girl or mature woman could very well fall in love with the collection. It gives the young audience another option to take the route of the modern Renaissance Ferretti Lady. 

Vibe: Easy Luxurious Ensembles.

It would be no surprise Derek Lam has made a huge leap in women's fashion with his ideas of dressing women comfortably easy while still keeping the rich status. His Resort 2014 collection are easy on the eye, come with a great amount of texture effect, and have a terrific casual vibe that would be appealing to most women of certain age. There are various ladies in the South who already have that comfortable trend going, but a little Derek Lam upgrade will not only keep you feeling comfortable and trendy, but also look like a million dollar lady. Yes, it works for any occasion you have in mind as well.

Vibe: Trendiest Outgoing Lady.

Why else is Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF) the president of the CFDA? Her most recent fall 2013 runway collection - Disco party - was one to have died for. Now, her Resort 2014 collection brought of mixture that will be of great taste to women of all ages. Her python print dresses have to be one of the best resort has brought. And let's talk about her play with stripes. Simply fabulous. First time I've ver used this word. There is nothing to dislike about the DVF woman. What she wears speaks for herself. She has a wonderful life to live, so enjoy it to the max. The best thing about Mrs. DVF is how generous she is with women of all ages and sizes. Any women who wears a size 8 or 10, and doesn't feel comfortable about her choice of designer clothes, then DVF is the solution to your answer. You're not only going to look striking beautiful, but you'll be the most stylish of the day. What more do you want? More DVF perhaps.

*As featured on IFB's Links à la mode and Ariele Loewe.

Men's LFW Spring 2014 Schedule is Official. So, Will We Ever Get a Men's NYFW Schedule?

Pictured Left to Right: Burberry Prorsum F/W 2013, Rag & Bone F/W 2013, Alexander McQueen F/W 2013

London is getting ready to began its official 3 day fashion week dedicated purely to men's fashion. It's created quite a buzz for many in the fashion world. What's so important about this three day event though? Well, what's interesting is that London has become the third capital of the fashion world to announce a menswear fashion show full of only men's designers. We know Milan and Paris are not only a fashion capital known for its womenswear collections, but also for its prestigious menswear collections. London has begun to follow the lead of the other capitals. If you are familiar at all with London Fashion Week, you would know it is the capital of what I like to describe as "Innovative Beginners." Many of us forget to look at the creative designers that London has to offer, especially in men's fashion. I bet you are sure to find extraordinarily hidden boutiques that pride in the best sartorial craftsmanship. 

This is why several new and international designers have made sure to make the Men's LFW schedule much more interesting. Rag & Bone, who are actually an English brand, have moved their presentation from Milan to London for their next men's Spring 2014 collection. Burberry, who is one of the most internationally recognized English brands, have also decided to join the Spring 2014 Men's LFW calendar event. Even Dolce & Gabbana (Italian), who were asked a month ago if they were willing to join in this special event, were pleased to accept the invitation. They will have the honor of officially opening Men's Spring 2014 LFW with a presentation of their summer 2014 tailoring collection and store debut. Jimmy Choo, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, and others have also joined the list.
Who knows, maybe London's three day menswear event may soon turn into an official fashion week separated into menswear and womenswear? For now, the schedule that was released looks quite interesting to begin with, but the other big question is this. If London, Milan, and Paris are going to offer both men's and women's shows, will New York become the next capital of the world to even all things out with only a menswear fashion week? 

There are menswear collections during NYFW, but it only interferes with what most of us are assigned to see - women's runway collections. They don't give much of an opportunity for new menswear designers to be looked at or others, because were too busy analyzing other clothes. That being said, maybe a NYFW menswear calendar should be taken into consideration. Make the event happen during the first week of June, and then let it lead to London? Yes, it may take time to make the calendar fair for everyone, but one thing for sure is that profits and new talents could become more recognizable.

Check out the official Men's London Fashion Week Schedule here, which will began June 16-18. Check back here soon for the coverage.